This photo provided by the FBI shows Paul Ciancia, 23. Ciancia, carrying a note that said he wanted to “kill TSA” employees, allegedly pulled a semi-automatic rifle from a bag and shot his way past a security checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Nov. 1 killing one Transportation Security Administration officer and wounding three other people, authorities said. (AP Photo/FBI)

RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> Federal prosecutors on Tuesday filed a document in U.S. District Court requesting that alleged Los Angeles International Airport shooter Paul Anthony Ciancia continue to be held in custody.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Los Angeles filed the request for pretrial detention, which presumes that Ciancia is a danger to the community and a possible flight risk based on his charges, to ensure public safety and that he appears for legal proceedings, according to the document.

The request is expected to be discussed today when Ciancia, 23, attends his “initial appearance” today in a room at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga where U.S. Magistrate Judge David T. Bristow will set an arraignment date and a preliminary hearing, federal authorities said.

“I don’t know what may come up, but typically it should be a brief proceeding,” said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ciancia was wounded by police after they say he opened fire on Transportation Security Administration officers in Terminal 3 at LAX on Nov. 1.

The New Jersey native is accused of storming into the terminal carrying an assault rifle, killing TSA agent Gerardo Hernandez and wounding three other people until police officers wounded him.

He was under heavy guard at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center until he was transferred to West Valley Detention Center, which has a top-rate medical care facility. Ciancia was initially listed in critical condition but upgraded to fair at the Los Angeles hospital before being placed in federal custody, The Associated Press reported.

Ciancia’s current medical condition is unknown.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials said Ciancia has been at the jail since Nov. 18.

The Sheriff’s Department will not release any information about the security for Ciancia’s appearance at the West Valley Detention Center for today’s arraignment, spokeswoman Jodi Miller said in an email.

This will be Ciancia’s first appearance since he was named in a criminal complaint filed soon after the shooting incident at LAX. The initial appearance is an arraignment, except that he will not be asked to enter a plea to the charges at this time, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported in a statement.

Ciancia has been charged with murder of a federal officer and violence at an international airport.

Judge Bristow will make sure Ciancia has been apprised of his rights, has seen the criminal complaint filed against him and has an attorney.

Ciancia is being represented by Los Angeles-based deputy federal public defenders John L. Littrell and Hilary L. Potashner. The federal prosecutors in the case are Melissa E. Mills and Patrick R. Fitzgerald.

Calls and emails made to Ciancia’s attorneys were not returned Tuesday.

Staff Writer Doug Saunders and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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